I Couldn't Love You More
by StrawberryPanda2
Summary: Yusuke's twin sister, Yuriko, can see Yusuke after he dies. So Botan takes her with them. Read as Yuriko tries her best to survive and maybe even fall in love. Please review...
1. Prologue

"Auntie, I'll be fine. I just miss my brother." Yuriko faced her brunette aunt. The two wore solemn expressions as they silently pondered the other's thoughts.

"What about school?"

"I'll transfer." Yuriko pulled out transfer papers from her school bag. "I already filled out the necessary information. You just need to sign. I'll go live with my mother and brother, if you please." Yuriko's aunt, Sayako, sighed as she tried to think of a way to talk Yuriko out of this. Her mother and brother were a stain on the family name unlike Yuriko.

"What about your friends?"

"We've agreed to keep up daily correspondence. I plan on bringing my cell phone and laptop if it isn't too much trouble." Yuriko smiled genially at her aunt, knowing full well what the greedy woman was doing. That didn't change the fact that she loved and missed her brother and mother.

"Well, what will you do-"

"Aunt Sayako, I'll be fine. I have already planned out everything I could possibly need. Please just send me off with your blessings." The brunette woman sighed as she rested her head in her hands. What would people think of her?

"Fine. When are you leaving?"

"My flight is tonight. I have already scheduled it and paid for it. I just need a ride there." Sayako jumped from her seat.

"What do you mean? Tonight? That's so sudden!" Yuriko smiled at the woman.

"I told you. I have already prepared for everything. Just send me off." Sayako drooped into her seat with a heartfelt sigh. There was no stopping Yuriko.

"Honey!" Raki ran down the stairs at his wife's call. "Can you give Yuriko a ride to the airport tonight? She's going to live with her mother…"

"But what about-"

Sayako cut him off. "I already tried. Don't bother." The two sent Yuriko puppy dog eyes, hoping she could be swayed. However, Yuriko already knew all of their tactics and was immune. Nothing they did would work on her.

"As a matter of fact, can you take me now? My flight is one hour from now. I don't want to be late. If not, I'll just drive myself and you can walk to pick up your car." The two dropped their sad looks to drop their jaws. She wouldn't!

"Now, let's go Uncle Raki." Yuriko picked up her bags, went upstairs to grab her suitcase, and left the house to wait inside the car. Raki soon joined her and silently drove her to the airport.

_Soon, little brother. Soon, we'll meet again._

_/~^-^-~\\\\\\\\_

_Hey everyone. I'm sorry for ruining the story like this but please read all the way through this._

_It's come to my attention that my story is already unappreciated after the prologue. If you dislike it please inform me so I can maybe delete it and start another story. I don't want to write a story people hate._

_To Gingersnaps: I hope you read this but I can't really expect you to. But it hurt my feelings that you responded to my story so harshly. Perhaps if we could talk it out I'd be happy to write a story that pleases you.  
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	2. Chapter 1

"Miss, the plane will be landing soon." Yuriko sleepily smiled at the flight attender in thanks.

"Thank you, Miss…Igarashi." The woman smiled and bowed to Yuriko. She couldn't help it, the girl went out of her way to be polite and made sure to know all the attendants names.

"I hope you have a good day, Miss." Yuriko nodded her head to the girl and prepared for the landing. Even if it didn't particularly bother her, Yuriko didn't like planes very much. The landing was smooth as it should have been and all the groggy passengers got off slowly.

Yuriko smiled as all of them were welcomed by friends and family. Too bad she wanted to surprise her brother and mother. It felt a little sad that no one was waiting for her at the end of the long flight.

Shaking her head of such gloomy thoughts, Yuriko grabbed her luggage, it was all on the plane with her since she didn't have that much stuff, and left the large building. Even outside it was chaotic. Many people were vying for taxis or picking up friends and family so the line of cars was endless.

Luckily, Yuriko was able to hitch a ride easily. The taxi driver smiled back at Yuriko as she jumped in the back seat. "Good afternoon, Sir. How has your day been?"

"Mighty fine, Miss. Thank you for asking. And yours?"

"Sleepy." The two smiled at Yuriko's good humor.

"Where do you need to go?"

"Yurei Manor, please." The man smiled at Yuriko and nodded, determined.

"Right away, Miss." The driver stepped on the gas as soon as an opening appeared and sped to Yurei Manor. For some reason, he felt compelled to help the young woman as much as possible. During the entire chaotic ride, Yuriko just smiled in the rearview mirror. She knew exactly what compelled him to action. No one could resist it for long.

"We're here, Miss." Yuriko laid her eyes on the beaten apartments. Her dear brother and mother really did live in a rundown place, didn't they?

"Thank you, Sir. How much will it be?" Yuriko completed their transaction and giggled as the man drove off with hearts in his eyes. Men were especially weak to her charm.

"Now, to see them…" Yuriko stared apprehensively at the apartment building in front of her. The one thing she didn't count on was whether they'd have enough room or money to support her living there with them. Of course, she could find an apartment to live in herself, she already had, but she still hoped to live with the two of them.

The jet-haired girl nervously walked up the stairs to her mother's apartment and finally stood before it once more. "I. I-I'm h-home." Yuriko clenched her eyes shut and knocked on the door with a knot in her stomach.

"Yeah…" Atsuko, Yuriko's mother, answered the door with a beer bottle in her hands. The bottle was dropped as soon as Atsuko laid eyes on her daughter. It had been years. Yuriko was taken away from her years ago so they wouldn't end up walking the same path. In the end, here her little girl was, standing before her with a hopeful smile on her face.

"M-mom. H-hey." Atsuko stared for a few more moments before grasping Yuriko in a tight hug.

"Oh, my baby. Welcome home." Yuriko hesitated but then hugged her mother close. It had been so long since she could smell the scent of Atsuko, cigarettes and alcohol. Although most people thought the two displeasing smells, Yuriko was reminded of loving arms holding her close.

"Where's Yusuke?" Atsuko grunted and pulled back. Without another sound she jerked her head behind her. Yuriko merely raised her brow and entered the Urameshi residence to stay.

The sound of running water settled comfortably in the background, somehow making Yuriko giggle.

"It's the middle of the school day and he's taking a shower?" Atsuko grinned as she put a burning cigarette in her mouth and took a drag.

"That's Yusuke for you." The two smiled at each other and shared another hug.

"Mom, I missed you. Aunt Sayako is nothing like you. I like you much better." Atsuko laughed at her daughter's clear disregard for the main family. Yuriko was a lot more like her than she cared to admit.

The fourteen year old ignored the fact that Yusuke was a boy and snuck into the bathroom. Silently she got to the mist-covered bathtub, in which she saw her twin brother, and then she pounced. Yusuke freaked out. He threw punches that Yuriko quickly dodged, as she was expecting them, until Yuriko took pity on him.

The laughing girl removed herself from the warm water. "Yusuke, it's been forever and you're throwing punches? Geez, I thought you loved me more than that." Yusuke dazedly looked at his sister for a few seconds before he blushed and attempted to cover himself.

"You do realize I'm a guy, right, Yuriko? And what are you doing here anyways?" Yuriko shrugged.

"Ask yourself. You imagined me." Yusuke did a double take.

"I did what?"

"I'm not really here, idiot. Don't you wonder why you couldn't hit me? I don't exist." Yusuke grasped his head in confusion. Was he really going crazy.

"Just kidding! I can't believe you could actually believe that!" Yusuke growled and pounced on his sister, forgetting his nudity.

"Yuriko!" The twins wrestled for a short while before Atsuko came into break them up.

"Now, now. If you two can't play nice, don't play at all." Yuriko pouted along with Yusuke. They hadn't seen each other in years! Now they were finally reunited…

"Yusuke, you should go to school. Better late than never." Yusuke sighed as he looked at his sister's pleading eyes.

"Fine. But if they piss me off I'm leaving." Yuriko smiled at her brother.

"Thank you, Yusuke!" Yuriko glomped her brother. Atsuko was the first to notice his state of undress.

"And maybe put on some clothes."

Yuriko blushed as she thought of what she and Yusuke had been doing. "I'm sorry Yusuke. Oh! After you dress, can you take me to school? I'll be attending with you." Yusuke grinned.

"O' course!"

The twins walked to school together, Yusuke in his green jumpsuit, and Yuriko in her old school uniform. It was a black and red plaid skirt that she rolled up to just past her fingertips. Her shirt was a plain white dress shirt and she wore a black tie. Her long, butt-length black hair was tied in a high pony-tail and she wore black knee-high socks with black loafers.

Students hanging outside backed up as soon as they saw Yusuke, some wondering who the look-alike was. Yusuke was kind enough to show Yuriko to the principal's office before he jetted off, probably to skip class; Yuriko laughed as she thought about it.

"Excuse me?" Yuriko turned her compulsion on to full watt now that she was in public. A teacher that probably had a free period at the moment stopped to help her.

"Yes? Are you the new student?" Yuriko smiled and nodded.

"I'm Urameshi, Yuriko and I should be transferring here soon. I decided to visit early." The teacher smiled back at Yuriko.

"Come right this way…" Yuriko had no idea what was going on as she finished registering for school. Only later did she get the announcement that her dear brother was dead. Yuriko immediately rushed home to her drunk mother.

"Mom! It's not true is it? Yusuke isn't…?" Atsuko peered around at her daughter and broke into a whole new round of tears. It didn't help seeing your dead son's face right after you learned he was dead.

"It's not true… We only saw each other again today." Yuriko rushed to her mother and hugged her as closely as she possibly could. "It can't be true."

Yuriko and Atsuko sat silently, Yuriko in seiza and Atsuko with her knees curled to her chest. She watched silently as people she didn't know paid their respects, none of them meaning it.

Yuriko couldn't take it any longer and started to stand up, but stopped as she heard some loud buffoon crying. He dragged himself in despite his friends trying to hold him back. Following after him was… was Yusuke…

Yuriko let out a cry and walked towards her brother, ignoring everyone else. "Yusuke! Is that you?" The boy looked at her and seemed to be shocked.

"You can see me, Yuriko?"

"Of course I can. You're right in front of me." Yuriko tried to hold him close but passed right through him. All around her people whispered about "how poor" she was, and "she must be hallucinating. Poor thing." Yuriko growled and glared at all the insincere idiots.

"Shut up! He's right here!" No one saw him or believed her.

"Miss Urameshi. My name is Takenaka. I'm the principal of Sarayashiki Junior High. It truly was a loss for Urameshi to-to-"

"Shut up. He's right here." Yusuke looked sadly at his sister. She looked insane in front of all these people.

"I'm dead, Yuriko. You're the only one who can see me." Yuriko clenched her fist.

"Damnit Yusuke! We just saw each other again today! Yuriko ran outside and Yusuke chased after her.

"Yuriko!" Yuriko continued on down to an empty street before she stopped.

"Here, now people won't see me talking to you." Yusuke smiled at her and tried to hug her but only passed through.

"Right. I forgot."

"You can't touch me." A girl in a pink kimono appeared behind Yusuke, looking confused.

"Hello there!" Yuriko smiled at the girl, even if it was a bit forced.

"Yes. Hello. My name is Yuriko." The blue-haired girl jumped. Her suspicions were confirmed.

"You can see spirits?" Yuriko sighed as she thought of it.

"I suppose so." The three exchanged a worried glance. "What's your name?"

The girl jumped again but returned to her mega-watt smile. "My name is Botan. I'm the grim reaper." Yuriko laughed.

"You sure don't act like what one would expect. Excuse me for saying so." Botan smiled and nodded.

"Yusuke said almost the same thing. You're just more polite." The two girls giggled.

"Of course I am. Everyone says that." Once again they giggled. "I'm sorry. I'm just fishing for comfort now. Botan, are you here to take my brother away?" Botan shook her head as she laughed.

"Nope! Yusuke's getting another chance! Oh, if he wants it, that is." Yuriko turned a glare on her brother.

"You didn't want it?" Yusuke gulped and thanked god Yuriko couldn't physically touch him. "I'll beat you up after you come back to life."

"Am I even getting a choice here?"

"No." Botan laughed, looking at the siblings. Yuriko was visibly weaker than Yusuke yet he still acted scared.

"Well, um, Yuriko. Can you come along? It's very unusual that you can see ghosts and I think King Yama will be interested in you. You might be able to help!" Yuriko blinked as she thought.

"That was a bit sudden."

"Yes, well, we don't have much time." Yuriko thought once more then nodded. "Well, climb on up!" Yuriko did as told and sat next to Botan, right before the girl turned to her brother and said, "Now let's not waste any time and hit the Styx." Yusuke grabbed the end of the oar and Botan took off laughing.

"Hey! Where are you taking us?" Yusuke shouted over the air. Yuriko tried to pay attention but didn't really care, as she trusted Botan enough.

"To the Spirit World!"

"The Spirit World?" Yuriko and Botan smiled at each other as Yusuke continued screaming questions.

"He just can't leave well enough alone, can he?"

"No. Not really." Yuriko aimed a look at her twin. This was going to be interesting.

Still, Botan took pity on him and answered his question. "We're going to see someone who can help you with what you need!"

"What do I need? Hey?" Botan just ignored him. "Heeey!" Oh, yes. This was _definitely_ going to be interesting.


	3. Chapter 2

"So, can you explain the place we're going to?" Yuriko eyed her brother as if he were stupid. "What?"

"Nothing, Yusuke." Yuriko turned her attention to Botan, also asking for an explanation.

"The Spirit World!"

"Right. Well, what is that?" Yusuke tried to get better grasp on Botan's oar but the danger of falling kept him from moving much. Yuriko, knowing what her twin was doing, giggled.

"It's the realm where the people outside of the living world exist. Including the person who'll explain your ordeal." Yuriko looked from Yusuke to Botan, feeling slightly left out. This story was about her right?

Yusuke looked slightly pissed at Botan's general description.

"And who is this stupid mystery man? If someone should say something they should come to me!"

"Yusuke, you're not royalty." Yuriko sent her brother a scolding glance. This person was helping him and still he was so rude!

"His name is King Yama." Yuriko did a double take at the irony.

"What? Are we dealing with royalty now?" Yuriko barely resisted kicking her brother's hand off the oar. Was he really this stupid or was he just pretending? She really hoped it was the latter. The look on his face stopped her though; he seemed horrified at the idea of meeting this "King Yama."

Botan turned to glareat Yusuke. Yuriko hadn't even known she could make the expression. "That's right Yusuke, and you had better not be foul-mouthed or impolite around him like you usually are." Botan raised her hand past Yuriko and pointed at Yusuke. "He calls the shots and he can send you to oblivion forever if he wants to" Yuriko shrugged as she was expecting this but Yusuke had a more dramatic reaction.

Yuriko watched as her face's eyes widened and the eyebrows drew down in distress. "Woah! Now wait a second! I think we can discuss this." Just then Botan entered a swirling portal of blue and purple, making Yusuke scream like daylight come. Yuriko just let out an "eep" and held on tight to Botan.

The exited the portal with a slight boom into a world with purple-blue skies and yellow land encroaching on a hectic blue river.

"Is this the Spirit realm, Botan?" Yuriko peered over Botan's shoulder to look at the endless horizon. Wherever they were going, Yuriko hoped they got there fast.

"Yes! The place we're going is a little further away, though."

Yusuke butted into the conversation with another exclamation. "Wow. Everything's so big."

"No duh, Einstein." Yuriko kicked Yusuke in the face, almost making him fall.

"Yuriko!" Yusuke grabbed her foot and pushed it away. "What if I fell off?"

"You're already dead. You'll survive." Botan laughed at the twins' antics. They were so different yet so alike. She wondered more about Yuriko. Although she could check her book, Botan didn't want to do that around either sibling.

Yusuke snarled at Yuriko then looked down. He was still interested in the scenery. "Is that the river Styx?"

This time Botan answered him with, "But of course."

"Oh…"

Next Botan started the new thread of conversation. "And just up ahead is the gateway of decisions."

"Yusuke if you ask what that means I disown you." Yuriko and Yusuke glared at each other. Botan sped up, not letting them fight again, and smiled at the startled reaction from both Yuriko and Yusuke.

Botan stopped on a long pathway and the three walked side by side up to the giant gates. Botan leaned forward and started shouting, "Botan here! I've brought a new arrival with me." The gate opened to reveal a long, dark, and eerie, hallway.

Yusuke yelped in surprise and shouted out his observation, "This place looks like a giant roach! Are you sure it's safe?" Yuriko looked up at the ceiling and gagged. It really did look like a giant roach. That was so nasty.

"Don't whine." Botan left the twins behind her. Yuriko was the first to catch up, then came her brother. The two girls talked as Yusuke thought. Yuriko had a faint inkling as to where his thoughts were going when he started muttering to himself. That was kind of creepy.

Yusuke ran right into Botan and Yuriko as they stopped in front of another door. Botan gave Yusuke a look and asked, "What in the world are you muttering about?"

Yuriko jumped in and assured her she probably didn't want to know. Botan shrugged and then leaned forward and pressed on a button on what looked like an intercom. "Botan again. Will you let them know I've got Yusuke Urameshi here?"

A voice came over the intercom. "We're opening the gate." Then the gate opened to reveal…

Ogres? Yuriko wasn't sure. They looked big and scary until you paid attention to what they were doing. Yuriko watched the red, blue, green, and other colored ogres run around shouting about something or other.

The trio walked past all the ogres and stopped at another door. "Just how many more doors are there?" Yuriko glanced curiously at the smiling Botan.

"Oh, this is the last one." The door opened and Botan bowed low. "Sir, I've brought you the boy you requested to see." Yusuke freaked out and looked all around for a giant being whilst Yuriko followed Botan's line of sight and ended on… a toddler.

"I'm right here! Look down. There you go." Yusuke was silent as he processed the midget.

Then, "This is the guy that's in charge?" Yuriko tried not to hit him. He could really be rude sometimes.

"Welcome," the infant folded his arms behind his back, "how do you like my castle?" They followed the baby to his desk.

"This is Yusuke Urameshi and his sister, Yuriko Urameshi, and they're honored to meet you." Yusuke remained silent but Yuriko bowed.

"Good day, sir. I apologize for my brother's future behavior." The infant looked curious as to what she meant.

Botan ignored the two and hit Yusuke. "Hey! Are you trying to make me look stupid? Say how honored you are!" Yusuke confirmed Yuriko's suspicions and started laughing. The infant learned what Yuriko meant. It seemed it would take very much patience to deal with the boy.

"That's a good one Botan! But let's be serious okay?" Botan backed away from Yusuke in, well, anger it seemed. Yuriko bonked her brother on the head.

"I'm sorry, sir. My brother is an idiot, as you see."

Yusuke rubbed the back of his head and turned to growl at his sister. "Hey! That hurt." Yusuke's words reminded Yuriko of a new discovery.

"Wait, it hurt?" Yusuke looked confused. "Yusuke, I can hit you!" Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"Really now? I couldn't tell."

"No. Yusuke, I can _hit_ you." Yuriko tried to get her message across, but sighed when Yusuke didn't get it. "Idiot. You're dead. I couldn't hug you before at the wake. Now I can touch you." Yusuke finally got what Yuriko was talking about.

"Hey, yeah-"

"Why would I lie about something like this, you moron?" Botan came back to earth and interrupted the twins' joy. Yusuke immediately shifted back to the matter at hand, as did Yuriko, and laughed.

"Why would the spirit world be run by a toddler?" Once again Yuriko hit Yusuke, followed by Botan.

"Don't point your finger at him!" Botan snarled at Yusuke, who just continued laughing.

"Botan," Botan looked at Yuriko, "I am so sorry for my brother."

"And to think I've been scared of the mighty King Yama!" The toddler cleared his throat and glared at Yusuke.

"To be exact, I'm the mighty Koenma. I am the son of King Yama. Even though I appear to be a child, I have been around over fifty times longer than you have. So, watch your mouth when you speak to me." Yuriko groaned when Yusuke just continued laughing.

"So it takes hundreds of years to move past a diaper?" Botan and Yuriko both punched Yusuke.

"Actually I'm proud to say, in addition to knowing the greater secrets of the universe I'm also quite potty-trained." Yuriko was thrown for a loop when he actually responded to Yusuke's taunting. She was happy when she noticed Yusuke was as well.

"Now let's skip to the business shall we?" Koenma jumped on his desk. "Yusuke Urameshi, I present you," Koenma pulled a golden egg from his sleeves, "your ordeal."

"My ordeal is a golden chicken egg?"

"Your ordeal will be what is inside of it. I assure you it won't be a chicken. Hatch this egg, and face what comes out."

"So what's the trip? Do I do something to hatch it?" Koenma shook his finger.

"No, no, not at all. You only have to keep it with you. This is a spirit beast and it feeds off the energy emitted from your soul. This will be a true and constant test of your character, and the things you do and feel will change the monster inside. For better… Or for worse. If, as would be expected from your files, your spirit is wicked and cruel, then the beast that hatches will be a fiend and it will devour you and you will be lost forever. This is as I imagine a very painful experience." Yusuke backed up in fear.

"However, if the energy you emit is good and true so will be the spirit beast. It will take care of you and guide you back into your living body. Of course, if it sounds too risky, you can back out and remain as a ghost. The choice, Yusuke Urameshi, is yours." Yuriko gazed hopefully at her brother. She knew he would pass this ordeal no problem, the only question was: Did he know?

Yusuke grabbed the egg, albeit hesitatingly.

"Alright, Yusuke Urameshi, get going." The three turned to leave but Koenma stopped Yuriko. "I need to talk to you, Yuriko Urameshi." Yuriko waved goodbye to her brother and bowed once more to Koenma.

"Sir?" Koenma waved his hand in the air.

"You can drop the formalities, just call me Koenma. Please, sit down." Yuriko did as asked and sat down in the nearest chair.

"May I ask what you wanted with me?" Koenma nodded and cleared his throat.

"It's obvious you have quite a bit of spirit energy."

"Spirit energy?"

"I'll explain later. However, now that know all this, we can't just let you leave with your memory. Although, you can work for Spirit world instead." Yuriko was silent as she took in Koenma's words.

"What would I do?"

"You'll be a spirit detective. First though, we'll train you. You'll be here for a while but I think it's worth it." Yuriko thought about it, and then nodded.

"I'll do it." Koenma was surprised at the girls determination but smiled anyways. They were twins after all.

"Then follow me, there's a man in Makai that can train you. He won't be eager to help but that's part of the ordeal. If you ever find yourself in danger, use this." Koenma pulled an amulet from his sleeves and handed it to Yuriko. "It'll create a portal here." A swirling portal opened in front of Koenma and Yuriko.

"Wait, who's the guy?" Koenma facepalmed.

"I almost forgot. Here, his name is Jirou Amagami." A picture appeared on the screen just behind the portal. "He doesn't look like much, but he's strong." Yuriko nodded and memorized Jirou Amagami's face.

"Alright. Goodbye, Koenma." Koenma waved back as Yuriko disappeared through the portal.

"Goodbye. And good luck."


	4. Chapter 3

Yuriko stepped out of the portal in a forest. In front of her was a small cottage that blended in with the background. "Well, this sure looks homey. That almost scares me more than comforts me." Yuriko walked up to the cottage, anxious.

"Hello?" Yuriko walked up to the cottage door and knocked. A ratty old man answered, the smell of alcohol on his breath.

"You want something, girl?" Yuriko took a deep breath and nodded.

"I want you to teach me. Teach me how to fight with my spirit power." The man sobered up instantly and snarled at her.

"The fuck? Go away little girl. I don't have time-"

"Listen to me! You know you can't deny me. I will do whatever it takes to become your student." Jirou sighed as he looked at the Yuriko. She was overflowing with spirit energy.

"You know what? I might take you in. Just do something for me. There's an ingredient I need. However, it's far away and hard to reach. Why don't you get it for me and I might just consider." Yuriko nodded emphatically.

"Anything. Come on, what do I need?" Jirou smirked.

"There's a thorny flower growing atop Akumai Mountain. It's petals are pure white but it releases a pollen red as blood. Get me this flower and I'll decide whether or not I'll take you." Yuriko smirked.

Yuriko gaped at Jirou. She had no idea where Akumai Mountain was. She didn't even have any Makai currency on her. She forgot all this once she saw his smirk. Yuriko would not lose to this half-assed drunkard. No siree.

"I'll be back in no time." Jirou's smirk became a snarl once more.

"Fine. If you survive, I'll consider you."

"Fine!" Jirou slammed the door in the girl's face, uncaring if it hit her or not. "What an-Oh! He makes me angry for some reason!" Yuriko growled then took a deep breath. It did her no good to be angry.

Once she calmed down Yuriko looked all around her. First was to find a way to Akumai Mountain. The blackette found a beaten down path hidden by the foliage, possibly leading to some sort of civilization.

Yuriko walked down the trodden path, gathering some scrapes and bruises from low-hanging branches and thorns in her path. The girl groaned as darkness started falling over the forest, she started late and it made sense that dark would come before she had even gotten halfway through her mission.

"Oh, Yusuke, how is your ordeal going? I almost wish we could switch." Yuriko slapped her cheeks for thinking such a thing after such little time. "For pete's sake! I'm not Yusuke!" Now determined once more, Yuriko started looking for a place to spend the night.

At first a clearing seemed ideal, however, that left her too exposed in an unknown environment. Yuriko thought longer and finally settled on sleeping in the peaceful canopy above her.

She slowly climbed up one of the oversized trees, unused to any strenuous activities. Yuriko settled uncomfortably on one of the large branches and prepared for a very long night.

Yuriko woke to the sound of birdsong. Amazingly enough, she slept even better than she had ever slept before. Yuriko grinned and stretched, narrowly avoiding falling out of the tree. She bounded up with an unknown source of energy and jumped down from the branch.

Yuriko walked faster than the day before, still slightly amazed at how energetic she was. She ignored how much the path twisted and turned, since she figured she couldn't do much about that, and just observed the Makai environment.

The lone girl was always a very smart girl. It's like she inherited the brains and her brother the brawn. So she paid very close attention to certain plant markings that denoted their species. As far as she had seen, Makai plants were very similar to Ningenkai plants except on a larger and more dangerous scale.

Now and then Yuriko would pause to further examine the plant and bug life. Even the sounds and bugs were closely related to Ningenkai. Yuriko guessed this was the case worldwide. Again the girl continued on her path, hurrying when the forest started thinning out.

Her long walk was brought to a close when she ran out of the forest and onto a cliff. Yuriko barely managed falling over the steep edge. Cautiously, she peered over and gulped.

Yuriko let her gaze flow from the bottom of the cliff and on towards the horizon on which stood a small city. It wasn't the size of El Paso but it was fairly big. She took one last look over the edge of the cliff before she started her slow and steady descent of its rocky face.

Yuriko's previous school uniform was ripped up and barely passed as clothing. Solemnly she stared down at herself and resolved to get different clothes. Although, this was her favorite uniform out of all the schools she attended.

The girl, now cold, sweaty, scratched up, and worn out came across a farm. Just outside on a line was a row of clothes, all of different sizes and gender. Yuriko peered cautiously at the line before finding an outfit for her to wear.

Yuriko quickly ran into the yard and grabbed a blanket, pants, and shirt off the line. In seconds she was back in her hiding place and hurriedly throwing on the clothes she had stolen. Yuriko looked at herself and smiled smugly. She had the perfect body type that went with everything she wore.

"Alright. On to whatever town this is!" Yuriko hurried on to the town, ready to take on the world.

Yuriko entered the city with the hustle and bustle of farmers and immediately fell into the comfortable rhythm of a busy city. She peered curiously at everything only to find the sights were just slightly dumbed down from El Paso. Even if the technology was less, the city was the same.

Yuriko gravitated towards some food stalls the moment she smelt their heavenly scent. The first stall-keep she came across chased her away as if she were some rat out to steal his food. The others weren't very different but Yuriko was a very lucky girl.

The last stall Yuriko stopped at, but not the last in the market, was run by a heavy-set woman with deep brown kind eyes. The woman took in Yuriko's ragged appearance and smiled at the girl.

"You new in town?" Yuriko nodded. "My names Iori, your's?"

"I'm Urameshi, Yuriko. It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Iori. If it's not too much trouble may I, perhaps, work for some food? I've run out of money and-"

"Say no more. I've met many a lass like you. Come on. I'll help you out." Iori walked away from her stall, immediately replaced by a big burly man, and grabbed Yuriko's wrist. "Let's clean you up first." Yuriko thanked the heavens for Iori, however, she was wary. After all, never trust a stranger. Especially a kind one.


	5. Chapter 4

Iori led Yuriko to a squat house, dwarfed between two taller houses and barely noticeable. Yuriko stopped right at the door, where Iori let go of her hand, and peered inside.

The inside was simple, a curtain hung in the corner, probably the bathroom, across from the one cot in the house. To the other side of the building was an old fire stove and a table in the middle of it all. Yuriko checked for chairs and found none. There wasn't even a cushion in the house. Instantly she decided she didn't like where this was going.

"Why don't you get washed up, Dearie? The washtub is right behind that curtain over there." Yuriko shuddered as she thought she was right. If she was right once she could be right again; Yuriko did not want to be right.

"Okay, thank you Miss Iori." The woman smiled and shook her head.

"No problem." Iori stood guard right outside the curtain as Yuriko slipped behind it. Yuriko looked around and was pleased to find a window, only to see it was shut.

"Miss Iori?" Yuriko splashed the water a little bit.

"Yes, dearie?"

"May I open the window, it's a bit hot in here." Iori thought for a minute.

"Go ahead, love." Yuriko and Iori both cringed as the window squealed open. "That was painful." Iori peeked around the curtain to check on Yuriko, to see she was gone.

"NO!" Iori's scream was heard by Yuriko, whom was already in the market district.

"Demons. Quite stupid. Let's hope I don't meet a smart one." Yuriko hurried out of town towards the only mountain she saw, hoping it was Akumai Mountain.

Yuriko hadn't walked very far when she entered forest once more. A man-eating plant snapped at her, earning a kick in the… face? Yuriko continued on, much more cautious than before, and tripped over a wire. In mere seconds she was hanging in a net.

"What the fuck?" Yuriko covered her mouth instantly, she didn't like to cuss. Once over her little episode Yuriko looked around. As she was looking she pulled out her sewing kit. She always carried a pocket-sized one in case of emergencies.

Yuriko played with the rope for several minutes, working up a sweat from the heat, until she finally broke free. The raven-haired teen dropped painfully to the forest floor, alerting some dangerous plants. As they came after her, Yuriko scrambled up, ignoring her throbbing legs, and ran.

Yuriko bumped into many more problems along the way, all the while her legs throbbed. When night finally fell Yuriko climbed into a tree and slept away unaware of the world.

The girl woke to another girl peering in her face. Awkwardly, Yuriko spoke, "Excuse me?" The other girl jumped back.

"Sorry! I was just wondering who you were." Yuriko shook her head.

"I'm just someone trying to get to Akumai Mountain." The girl looked weirdly at Yuriko.

"There's no such place as Akumai Mountain. Maybe you mean Aozora Mountain?" Yuriko shook her head as she thought. Of course that bastard would make up a mountain to get rid of her. Yuriko tried to calm down but only became more angry.

"Um, are you okay?" Yuriko jumped and only avoided falling out of the tree because the girl grabbed her.

"Yeah. Just a little pissed. What's your name?"

The girl smiled. "Just someone passing through. Why are you looking for Akumai Mountain?" Yuriko sighed. She might as well. If she was going to die she'd rather this pretty demon take her.

"Well…" Yuriko explained everything from the beginning. The girl nodded sympathetically throughout the story and got pissed as well as Yuriko finished it.

"So this guy sent you off on an impossible quest? How rude, I'll take you there."

"Wait, what?" Yuriko barely got her question out before the girl grabbed her and leapt off into the sky. Large bat wings sprouted from her back and she held Yuriko close. Yuriko held on for dear life throughout the trip, because, amazingly enough, she was afraid of heights.

Yuriko was happy to be set down in front of Jirou's cottage but the girl would never let the shocks end. She stalked up to Jirou's cottage and burst in, ignoring the shouting old man.

"Are you Jirou?" The old man grunted and lowered his sword.

"What's it to you brat?" He looked past the demon and groaned as he saw a very flustered Yuriko. "You put her up to this?" Yuriko shook her head.

"She decided on her own." Jirou considered this. The girl clearly knew who to trust and who not to trust.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Jirou and Yuriko looked back to the bat demon. "You sent such an adorable, cute, tiny, loveable creature on an impossible mission?" Yuriko felt a blush rise. This demon clearly liked her.

"Akumai Mountain?" Jirou laughed. "Any idiot in Makai would know it doesn't exist." Yuriko glared at Jirou.

"I'm not from Makai." The bat demon and old man turned astonished eyes on her.

"You're not?" The bat demon spoke first. Yuriko shook her head.

"No, I am not. I'm from… you call it Ningenkai?" Jirou exchanged a look with the bat demon.

"Pretty good, considering you're from such a worthless race." The girl walked around Yuriko and sniffed her. "Smell like a human. Whaddya know? You are from Ningenkai, aren't you? How'd you survive this long?"

Yuriko had the grace to look offended. "The plant life here is basically more evolved than Ningenkai, so I figured everything else was too. I reacted to my environment, not let the environment react to me." Jirou also came forward and walked around Yuriko.

"Balls and brains. Have to admit, girl, you did well." Yuriko set shining eyes on Jirou.

"Really?" Jirou chuckled.

"Yeah, really." Yuriko wrapped her arms around the taller man and squeezed as tight as she could, meaning, not really tight.

"You're weak though, we'll have to fix that." Yuriko scowled into Jirou's chest but otherwise ignored it.

"Well, now that that's outta the way, my name is Ienashi. Nice to meet you, Jirou. What's your name?" Ienashi turned to Yuriko, waiting for a response.

"My name is Yuriko." Yuriko extracted herself from Jirou and turned to Ienashi to bow. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I hope we get along well." Jirou sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"I honestly won't bother anymore. I'll take you on, you impressed me enough, Yuriko. Just come inside and eat. You're training will be hard." Yurio grinned at Jirou and followed him inside, followed by Ienashi.

Jirou had a pot of stew on the stove, it was a rock stove, and he strode to it, motioning to the girls to sit down. "I usually make enough to last a week but I'll feed you girls. From now on, you're doing the cooking Yuriko. You'll also do the cleaning, and you'll always fetch the water, and you'll have your training."

Ienashi whistled. "Sounds hard."

"Since you busted down my door, you'll be staying. I know how to keep a demon on a leash." Ienashi gulped.

"Jirou-" Yuriko started but the old man interrupted her.

"Master Jirou."

"Master Jirou, why are you all of a sudden willing to take me on?" Jirou grew silent.

"Everyone in Makai knows at least basic fighting. You obviously don't. Ienashi just needs to repay me for the door. And she needs to learn control." Yuriko played with the edge of the table as she thought. Yusuke always said she needed to learn how to fight.

"I've found something interesting though." Ienashi grabbed the pair's attention. "Yuriko has first-class compulsion. The minute she spoke I wanted to make her the happiest woman alive. I've only heard of one species that could make any demon do that." Jirou dropped his ladle.

"You don't think she's-"

"But she's human." Yuriko looked confused between the other two.

"What do you think I am?" Jirou sighed and leaned against the counter next to the stove.

"There's a race of demons with the ability of compulsion. It gives them a certain power over other demons. They smell exceptionally good, look beautiful, and they are irresistible to demons. This is the succubus. They make men and women willingly give up their life force. Succubi were thought to be extinct though."

Yuriko snorted. "But I'm a human from Ningenkai."

Ienashi shook her head. "Demons can mate with humans. You probably have demon blood in you. It's probably just dormant." Yuriko looked between them.

"You honestly believe this?" Jirou nodded.

"There's a way we can see what type of demon you are." Yuriko looked to Jirou.

"Yeah? How?"

"You'll need control over your reiki first. We'll do it after I've trained you." Yuriko sighed. That was a really long wait.

"Alright. But I'm hungry. I haven't eaten in two days." Jirou laughed.

"You sure as hell drop the compulsion when you're hungry!"

Yuriko shrugged. "I'm comfortable with you two, why should I act stiff." Ienashi laughed.

"She steals souls because she's uncomfortable." The old man and demon laughed at Yuriko.

"Oh, shut up! I'm hungry!" Yuriko shoved her hand in Ienashi's face. Soon she would be strong enough to help her brother. Soon she would be a spirit detective.


	6. Chapter 5

Training was hard, but Yuriko did it. Although her strength didn't compare to Yusuke's she could still put up a good enough fight. Yuriko was the type that jumped in and out. She never took a hit but gave a million in return to every attempt.

Ienashi was an aerial fighter. She swooped down to attack and took to the skies before she could get hurt. Ienashi also fought with a scimitar. Its sickly long blade often took her opponent's head before he or she knew it.

Their reiki was trained together. Ienashi and Yuriko, and sometimes Jirou, made the perfect team. Yuriko distracted the opponent with her compulsion, often making them forfeit before the fight started, Ienashi stayed hidden in the air to unleash surprise attacks, and Jirou took all the hate, he was the perfect tank. Jirou stood back, in plain sight, and sent reiki blasts and spells to their enemies.

Yuriko smiled as she made their dinner. It had been months since she had started her training and she had met her two closest friends. After dinner they were going to have their evening training and then Yuriko would see if she was actually a succubus.

If she was, they would work on unleashing her demon blood and she'd have to learn to use her youki from Ienashi, since Jirou was only a reiki expert. Yuriko jumped when arms wrapped around her waist. Tenderly, Ienashi pressed her lips to Yuriko's lips as a greeting.

"Good evening Ienashi. Are you and Jirou finished training?" Ienashi nodded and sat down at the table soon joined by Jirou.

"Is dinner almost ready, Yuriko?" Jirou played with his bowl already set out.

"Jeez, so impatient." Yuriko grinned and took the pot off the stove. "Here we go. Let's eat!" The three dug into the small meal and cleaned up after, putting the leftover in the cold room to preserve it.

"Now, here's to your hopefully last night of training." Jirou led them out to the forest and stopped in the usual clearing.

Ienashi and Yuriko got in fighting positions and powered up their reiki for any type of attack or defense. "What's it tonight Master Jirou?" Ienashi scooted closer to Yuriko and grabbed her hand.

"Defeat me together. I know you can, but do you know how?" Ienashi and Yuriko grinned at each other.

"You bet Master Jirou." Ienashi lunged forward, releasing Yuriko's hand, and attacked with a high kick. Before he could counter attack Ienashi was in the air and Yuriko was sending quick jabs and slashed across his arms. In seconds she jumped over his head and got a slash in on his back before he turned around and blocked her knife.

Ienashi pulled Yuriko into the air as soon as Jirou's barrage of range attacks started and almost broke Yuriko's shield. Ienashi dropped Yuriko, letting the girl attack Jirou from the air with well-aimed kicks before she too swooped in and got a good amount of blood on her scythe.

Jirou jumped into the trees and took off into the forest. In an open clearing like that, he would surely lose; he already was.

Yuriko followed, high in the branches. She jumped from tree to tree and swooped down now and then to land a kick or a punch on her master. Ienashi just followed, dodging the branches and tree trunks with ease earned after lots of practice.

Finally, Jirou stopped and sent another wave of attacks Yuriko's way. The branch she was on broke and she fell to the forest floor. Before she could regain her senses Jirou was on her, punching her non-stop. Ienashi swooped down and made a sweeping motion with her scythe, effectively dislodging Jirou.

Jirou jumped back and sent a reiki blast Ienashi's way. She dodged by going up and slashed with her scythe, making a fine line of youki fly towards Jirou. He blocked with a reiki shield, then sent reiki into the trees to attack Ienashi.

Ienashi cut the oncoming branches and flew low towards Jirou. At the last second she pulled up and Jirou, watching the bat demon, got a blade to the throat. Yuriko grinned up at him and placed her hand to his cheek.

"We win Master Jirou." Jirou laughed and sent reiki out of his entire body, knocking Yuriko away. As payback he received a long thin cut on his neck.

"Hot damn, you girls got better. I wonder how you are one on one?" Yuriko sighed.

"You trained us to fight together. Don't start making more training schedules just yet. Let's find out whether I'm a succubus or not." Ienashi flew down and landed next to Yuriko to wrap and arm around her waist.

"I wanna see if you are as well." Ienashi pressed her lips to Yuriko's head. Jirou sighed as he watched, Ienashi got really comfortable with Yuriko. He wondered what she would do when Yuriko went back to Ningenkai.

Ienashi shook her wings to get rid of the cramps from flying in enclosed spaces. Each wing was easily her own height. Yuriko grinned. She liked Ienashi's wings; they were large and soft and so much fun to play with. Jirou, hated them. He hated how large they were and how much like a bat's they were. Jirou hated bats!

Ienashi smirked at their master, because she knew exactly what he was thinking. Jirou shook his head and got back on track. "Okay brats, let's do this, I need to take a bath." Yuriko barked out a short laugh. Of course their master would only care about that.

"What do I do, Master Jirou?" Jirou motioned for them to sit down and they did. Jirou took Yuriko's hands and got comfortable.

"Okay, give me your reiki. I'll follow it to your source. If you have youki I'll find it and unleash it. This will turn you into your true form." Yuriko did as instructed and Jirou traveled to her source. Inside he found a large, writhing ball of youki. The old man felt somewhat worried for the future. What would happen if she couldn't control it?

Slowly, Jirou unleashed the red mass of energy and he felt the hands in his grow longer and more slender. He opened his eyes to see a beautiful woman sitting in front of him. Her hair grew longer and her eyes more narrow. Horns sat innocently atop her head and fangs rested at Yuriko's lips.

The only way they could tell this was the same girl was that she still wore her yellow tunic and black baggy pants. Her figure was more full than before and she was obviously taller. Jirou quickly let go of her hands and backed up.

Already, in a circle around the confused girl, the grass was dying. Yuriko was unknowingly taking the life-force of the earth. Quickly she stood and backed up from the circle, only making it larger.

"Stop moving Yuriko!" Ienashi had leaned down and grabbed Jirou before taking to the skies.

Yuriko did as told. "What the hell is going on Master Jirou, Ienashi?" The two in question looked at each other.

"You're a succubus. Succubi take the life force of anything they touch. You can limit your area of effect by concentrating on your youki. You saw where Master Jirou led you right?" Yuriko nodded emphatically. Hurriedly she tried to calm down and go to her source of youki but her speed to concentrate only ended up making the effect worse.

Yuriko's panicking hurried up the life drain going on around her. Jirou and Ienashi watched with trepidation.

"Yuriko," Jirou spoke calmly, "Breathe slow. Breathe in… Breathe out… Breathe in… Breathe out…" Yuriko started doing as told and calmed down. Once Jirou saw this he started speaking again, "Now, go to your source of youki." Moments passed in silence until Yuriko nodded. "Control it as you would control reiki. You control it. Not the other way around."

Yuriko felt the area of affect slowly get smaller and smaller until it was only at her skin. Yuriko felt the wind blowing her ankle-length hair against her legs and calmed down even more.

"Okay. I'm calm now. You guys can come down." Ienashi set Jirou on the ground and went to hug Yuriko but the other girl jumped back. "I can only contain it to my skin. Don't touch me." Ienashi pouted.

"Alright. Now I know what we should work on first. I'm gonna show you how to become a human." Yuriko gave Ienashi a confused look.

"Demons can do that?" Ienashi laughed.

"Of course we can. How else do we invade Ningenkai. Anyways, all demons have some reiki. Some have enough to actually become human. Others only have enough to look human. You're half human so you can switch between human and demon forms." Yuriko nodded and sat down, now sure the grass wouldn't die.

"How do I do that?"

"Exactly the same way you became a demon." Yuriko concentrated and they watched as she slowly became her human self.

"That was scary." Ienashi and Jirou laughed. "What? It really was!" Still the two persisted in their laughter. Even after Yuriko sent reiki balls their way they continued to laugh.

The three walked home to see a portal sitting in front of the cottage. Yuriko sighed. He training really was over. Ienashi and Jirou watched as Yuriko came to her decision. Ienashi shook her head.

"Hey, that doesn't mean what I think it does, does it?" Yuriko nodded, making Ienashi shake her head again. Yuriko shook her head as well and walked towards the portal.

"Hey, I need to come back for training, so wait for me. I'll definitely be back." Ienashi nodded along with Jirou and the two waved as Yuriko walked through the portal into Koenma's office. Standing in front of the toddler's desk were two demons.

The girl bowed and smiled at the two. "Hello there. My name is Urameshi, Yuriko." She could tell the two froze up when she said her last name. "Oh,you either met my mother or my brother. I'm guessing it's my brother since people aren't usually this hostile towards my mother." The short demon grunted and turned away. It seemed he didn't like the "human" girl reading his emotions.

"Hello, my name is Minamino, Shuichi. Just call me Kurama. His name is Hiei. He's always like this." Yuriko shared a smile with Kurama but stuck her tongue out at Hiei. The short demon glared at her.

"It's your fault. Treat others how you wish to be treated. You treated me rudely I'll be rude right back." Yuriko hmphed and looked away. Kurama looked on with a smile on his face. Yusuke's sister seemed to be nice enough.

"Now that you've all met. I'm sending you on a mission." The three looked at Koenma. Yuriko smiled at the toddler.

"Hello, Koenma sir. How have you been?"

"Fine, thank you Yuriko. But, back to the mission."

"I hope you have something to say for yourself."

"What?" Koenma blinked and there was a seething girl holding a blade to his neck.

"You took me away from important training. What do you have to say for yourself?" Koenma gulped. "I wouldn't do that. It'll hurt if my dagger digs any deeper into your neck. Now, what do you say?"

"I am Lord Ko-"

"Oh, shut it. Throwing a beginner into Makai… What do you say?" Yuriko pressed her dagger closer to Koenma's neck, bringing forth a drop of blood.

"S-sorry." Yuriko smiled happily and removed her weapon.

"Thank you! That's all I needed." Yuriko moved back to Kurama's side. "Now, back to the mission." Hiei smirked at Koenma's predicament, at least the toddler was feeling some pain. Kurama, on the other hand, noted the girl had balls despite being so polite.

"Okay. You three will be going on a mission with Yusuke Urameshi. The four saint beasts are demanding that we bring give them immediate immigration into the human world."

"Who are the four Saint Beasts?"

"I'll tell you on the way." Kurama smiled at Yuriko, the two had formed an instant friendship. "They are four of the most notorious criminals in all the spirit worlds. They were given the title saint by their followers. Years ago they were chased by a coalition of pursuers, and evaded capture by locking themselves into a booby-trapped fortress. Over time, a city formed, the city of Ghosts and Apparitions." Yuriko nodded slowly.

"I see. Sounds dangerous. So, what are we supposed to do?"

Koenma answered her, "You just need to get the whistle controlling the Makai insects."

"Makai insects? Oh, that just sucks. Did the Saint Beasts unleash them on Ningenkai?"

"You know of Makai insects?" Yuriko nodded.

"Yes, Master Jirou decided that knowledge of Makai life was important. He never mentioned the Saint Beasts though." Koenma hummed softly as he thought.

"It truly was the right choice to send you to Jirou." Yuriko nodded happily.

"It was. We should go now." Koenma nodded.

"Yes. And be careful." A portal opened between the three demons. Yuriko bowed once more to Koenma before she jumped through, followed closely by Kurama and Hiei.


	7. Chapter 6

Yuriko landed on the tree branch between Hiei and Kurama. The three of them looked down on her twin brother with something akin to pity.

"It seems you need some help. If those nothings were too much for you we're going to have some serious trouble." Lightning struck and Hiei and Kurama jumped from the tree to land safely on the ground.

Yusuke and Kuwabara, what was he doing there, moved back in surprise. Yuriko shook her head at her brother. She thought he went through training. Yuriko stayed up in the tree to observe them for a bit.

"Well, well, well the thieves." Kurama smiled at Yusuke.

"Hello." Yuriko decided to announce her presence as well just then.

"Long time no see Yusuke. I see you walk amongst the living again." Yuriko jumped down and hugged her brother. "I missed you." Hiei huffed and Kurama smiled. Kuwabara, like Yusuke, looked immensely confused.

"Yuriko! What are you doing here?" Yusuke leaned back from his sister to stare her down. It didn't work very well considering she was slightly taller than him.

"I'm also a spirit detective. Koenma thought you'd need our help." Yusuke backed up to shout at her but stopped when Hiei spoke.

"Even that fool Koenma knew it would take more than human power to kill the saint beasts."

"Koenma has assured us we can clean our slates in spirit world" Kurama gave Yuriko a look telling her he'd explain later. Yuriko stood back and decided to let the boys talk. There really was no need to take place in a conversation in which you had no idea what was going on.

Yusuke laughed then said, "I guess Koenma heard me complaining. Hey Kuwabara let me introduce you to these guys." Yusuke looked to the buffoon from his wake and motioned at Yuriko, Hiei, and Kurama. "That's Hiei, and his name is Kurama."

"A pleasure."

Lastly, Yusuke motioned to his sister, "And she's Yuriko, my twin sister." Kuwabara ogled Yuriko until Yusuke hit him upside the head. "Back off my sis, man. We have the same face." Kurama and Yuriko chuckled. Spitefully Yusuke turned to Kurama and Hiei. "You too guys. Don't touch my sister." Again Yuriko and Kurama laughed but Hiei just grunted.

Kuwabara came back to earth from Yusuke's punch and said, "Well I don't have a clue what's going on but it sure is nice to have a helping hand." Yuriko cringed.

"I wouldn't quite say that…" Kurama, and Hiei but he didn't respond, was the only one to hear her before Hiei spoke.

"Helping is not the right word." Kuwabara and Yusuke looked to him with the same doofus face. "Koenma may regard us as equals but I do not. Once inside the castle I suggest you let us do the work. As far as I'm concerned, we're babysitting." Kurama chuckled but nodded anyways. He sent an apologetic look in Yuriko's direction which she quickly denied with a smiling face. She already expected as much from Hiei from their previous interaction.

"Listen you puny jerkface, I'm gonna haveta beat you up if you keep talking down to us that way." Yuriko stifled her laughter. This guy had no idea who he was dealing with.

Hiei looked up at Kuwabara and bit back. "Let's avoid fighting. You're not worth it."

"That's it!" Kuwabara attacked Hiei but fell to the ground as Hiei dodged. Yuriko just looked on with pity; he was really stupid. You don't just attack a demon like that. It could get you killed. She saw potential in him, yes, but he still hadn't quite tapped into it.

"But you detective are a different story." Hiei got up in Yusuke's face. "I plan to take my revenge on you, so consider this fair warning." Yuriko frowned and stepped between Yusuke and Hiei.

"If you attack my brother, I'll be forced to attack you. I'd really rather not." Kuwabara started shouting in the background but they ignored him.

"Don't bother. You couldn't even scratch me." Yuriko couldn't resist rising to the challenge. She would scratch him as many times as he wanted during their time together. And she started right then. A thin trail of blood started trickling down Hiei's cheek. It was only brought to his attention by Yusuke.

"Dude, how did you get cut?" Hiei put a hand to his cheek and growled. The girl had spunk.

"You better watch your back as well." Yuriko shrugged and Yusuke and Kuwabara just looked between the two with confusion.

"Hiei," Kurama turned to Hiei, "You must face this current business before you start your own." Kuwabara attacked Hiei again but Hiei dodged.

"Yes, Hiei. Keep your priorities straight." Yuriko nodded.

Yusuke broke in before Yuriko could piss Hiei off more. "Don't worry you guys, if we survive this, I'll be glad to take you on." The five stood in the shape of a star. "Now is this a perfect team or what?"

Kuwabara huffed, Hiei grunted, Kurama chuckled, and Yuriko snorted. Yes, quite a perfect team. And on they walked to the four Saint Beasts.


End file.
